So how was Dexy's?

[Peaceman]

I must admit I was very disappointed. I dont want people just chanting 'Geno' and the like, thats boring. And I had no idea about them playing all of the new album. But I thought it was slow and tedious, like listening to a lounge band. I really wanted to enjoy it but didnt. Mind you, I was working as well so left after about 40 mins so missed any old stuff. Having heard how good Paul Heaton was before, I would agree that it might have been better to have swapped those two slots.

[Badlands]

It clearly stated that they were playing their album in full when the lineup was announced. I quite like the album but I wasn't going to waste my Saturday night at Glastonbury on it. Hence leaving as soon as Heaton and Abbott was finished.

[seantizz]

I went along because I knew they were playing the album in full... and it's an album I love.

I was stood towards the front and I loved the drama, the theatrics, the acting of the whole set...

Kevin is a genius - this was a headline set. Why does a headline set have to be a greatest hits set? It doesn't... But they did still play those versions of Geno and Come on Eileen as the set drew to its conclusion...

One of my absolute highlights of the weekend - but I did know I'd like it because I'd already seen the show in Liverpool Cathedral....

[marktea]

I went along because I knew they were playing the album in full... and it's an album I love.

I was stood towards the front and I loved the drama, the theatrics, the acting of the whole set...

Kevin is a genius - this was a headline set. Why does a headline set have to be a greatest hits set? It doesn't... But they did still play those versions of Geno and Come on Eileen as the set drew to its conclusion...

One of my absolute highlights of the weekend - but I did know I'd like it because I'd already seen the show in Liverpool Cathedral....

[grumpyhack]

I didn't go - I think Bryan Ferry was on at the same time and he delivered an excellent set. But as a general comment I feel very sorry for people who've produced great classics in the past but want to move on instead of just doing a greatest hits set.

Ferry offered a good mix of old Roxy classics interspersed with some new stuff and kept the crowd with him.

A few years ago I saw Don McClean at another fest and, clearly, everyone wanted American Pie. So he recognised that, said: "Well you all want it, so let's get it out of the way" and did it fairly early on. He was then able to settle down to the set he wanted to do.

[amfy]

I remember seeing Lonnie Donegan up at The Acoustic Tent in about 1999. I was really disappointed that he didn't do 'My Old Mans a Dustman' or Does Your Chewing gum Lose its Flavour on the Bedpost Overnight'. I was brought up in those tunes, but know a lot more of his stuff too because my Dad was a big skiffle fan.

I was disappointed but understood why he did it. He is a real musician who is choosing not to be remembered for comedy songs. In an interview afterwards, he said the crowd were calling for songs he didn't even remember. That was bollocks, of course he remembers them, he just doesn't want to play them anymore. You have to give Kevin Rowland credit for the extra integrity to ensure that he has been clear up front what he will be playing, and why.

[ninetyeightytwo]

It was dull and the amateur dramatics were embarrassing.

You can't call it "amateur dramatics" if they're doing it professionally.

[MisterSitter]

There's more to being professional than getting paid. It looked pretty amateur to me.

[Ruwise]

I didn't go - I think Bryan Ferry was on at the same time and he delivered an excellent set. But as a general comment I feel very sorry for people who've produced great classics in the past but want to move on instead of just doing a greatest hits set.

Ferry offered a good mix of old Roxy classics interspersed with some new stuff and kept the crowd with him.

A few years ago I saw Don McClean at another fest and, clearly, everyone wanted American Pie. So he recognised that, said: "Well you all want it, so let's get it out of the way" and did it fairly early on. He was then able to settle down to the set he wanted to do.

I get that. I've had a conversation with Mark Morriss of Bluetones fame on this very topic and it is a difficult one but I think Suzanne Vega handled it brilliantly on the Sunday night she said up front that she'd definitely do her classics but would be playing new material as well. I think the issue with doing any album in full is that most albums have a couple of fillers in them and when you have a full back catalogue of hits people will always wonder why you are not playing them. Suzanne played Marlene On The Wall early, Left Of Centre in the middle and Luka and Tom's Diner at the end. Also, festivals are different they are not your fans for the most part. You can do what you want but don't expect the audience to stick with you.

[ninetyeightytwo]

There's more to being professional than getting paid. It looked pretty amateur to me.

Define "amateur".

[Rumblestripe]

festivals are different they are not your fans for the most part. You can do what you want but don't expect the audience to stick with you.

This!

Though it has to be said that KR was upfront about what would feature in the show, it will have been a disappointment to some who turned up not having read the news release. Me, I had no interest in seeing them despite my mate having been to see them doing this show and telling me it was one of the best things he has ever seen (he's been to many more gigs than me so I have to respect his opinion, if not his taste!)

As for the "integrity" thing. I have a problem with this. The job of a musician is ENTERTAINMENT now that can be anything from fun light hearted joshery to serious stimulation of the brain but the job of any musician is to entertain his audience (not himself). Van Morrison is another who is perennially guilty of refusing to play to entertain his audience. So much so that the accepted wisdom is that there are two kinds of people, those who like Van and those who have met him... Probably a little unfair?

[fcum]

You're right, he's entitled to do whatever he likes when performing live but he's obviously not intelligent enough to either turn down the headline slot or adjust his set to the crowd he's performing to. If he wants to be a tortured artist and mock everyone who likes his old stuff then he should have done what Julian Cope did and play a slot at an earlier time on a different stage. If you're headlining a stage on a Saturday night at a festival as big as Glastonbury then you need to be playing crowd pleasers, not trying to sell new shit that no one is interested in.

To be honest i don't blame Kevin, he shot himself in the foot and he's the one that suffers but whoever booked Dexys in that slot really should find another role at the festival, maybe working in the car park or bars would be more suitable because they obviously don't understand how to program a line up.

The album is a couple of years old now isn't it? So any fan of the band will be well familiar with the tunes. Stands up there with the best stuff they did previously, and as a artist producing new stuff Kevin stated that he didn't see the point in these bands who just come back and do a karaoke version of their previous selves.

I've seen this show 4 times now and he does a mixture of the old hits. The first time at Shepherds Bush he didn't do Geno because he said it didn't feel right.

The real question was how did the new lead lady do?

I did wonder how it would come over at a festival, and it was great.

Anyone who goes to Glasto to see old 80's bands doing 'karaoke' might want to try Rewind or something like that where you don't require any thought or imagination.

Edited July 4, 2014 by fcum

[eFestivals]

Stands up there with the best stuff they did previously

nah, it really doesn't.

It's a good album if you can disassociate your listening of it from Dexy's of old, but it doesn't reach anywhere close to Soul Rebels.

[fcum]

nah, it really doesn't.

It's a good album if you can disassociate your listening of it from Dexy's of old, but it doesn't reach anywhere close to Soul Rebels.

Yeah okay a bit of an overstatement. It is good though.

[Nudda]

Yeah okay a bit of an overstatement. It is good though.

It's more akin to 'Don't let me down,' although clearly not as good as that either!

They've moved on, and it's obvious that whilst they're never going to trouble the charts again, they are a bunch of serious musicians who dig soul music. In Kev they've a proper singer who has it running through his veins; he's not plastic like Adele or Joss Stone, or some other Asda price 'soul' star. Dexys is his vision and it's his single-mindedness for which I will always admire him.

One would imagine the idea of performing 'Soul Rebels' or 'Too-rye -aye' all the way through would make him want to give it all up. Pastiche.

It's been widely billed that they are only together and playing the odd show to air these recent songs. The album works as a piece of music, and coupled with the film (Nowhere is home) shows where 'Dexys' are at today. Not a retro act but current and still working for it.

[ninetyeightytwo]

And what an act they are.

This was the second time I'd seen the show, and it was just as magical as the first.

My sole disappointment was that we didn't get until I believe in my soul during the "classics" bit, but apart from that, what an incredibly beautiful show it was.

[bamber]

Did they bring out This Is What She's Like?

They did indeed.

What can I say? This was a genuine highlight for me. The crowd was small, there were tossers at various points chanting Geno... but despite all this the show had real gravitas. Rowland is a unique talent. Few shows ever fulfil their potential. This was one that did it for me.

[dicka]

Here are my photos from Dexys at Glastonbury. https://www.flickr.com/photos/dicka101/sets/72157645068249850/

[bamber]

Here are my photos from Dexys at Glastonbury. https://www.flickr.com/photos/dicka101/sets/72157645068249850/

Great photos of a Great show.

[bamber]

Fuck it. I'm posting this despite my better judgement. Smile, Smile, Smile to the shitty recording. I was there and it was unequivocally awesome......

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